A beautiful, harrowing, and well-made allegorical fable...but more importantly, scary AND extremely intelligent

Rating: 10/10 (9 July 2003)

I have not written a review for IMDB in many months. This movie has moved me to do so. Rarely have I been so frightened and made to think, not only in a cheesy horror-night-of-living-dead type way, but in a very visceral and scary commentary about where the future of humanity is headed. There is much symbolism here, namely referencing anthrax, HIV, SARS, ebola, and countless other biological diseases. I feel this movie is almost an allegorical warning. Extremely well acted, especially by once-tomorrow-person Naomie Harris, this film does what all great movies do- provokes thought, provokes discussion. It held me at the edge of my seat. I want to see it again.
From a strict film-making standpoint, the shots are extremely well placed, the cinematography is gorgeous and very appropriate, and overall it's just a really, really beautiful film, if in a very dark, morbid way. It builds and builds into an almost Hitchcockian climax. Pay attention to how the Academy reacts to this very unique British film.